Simply put, look at the ancient civilizations that were once big meat eaters and little carb eaters. Then look at what happens to them once they add carbs and farming into their diet. The early farmers were typically shorter than their ancestors. Look at Greece and Turkey for example. Preagricultural men were 5’9” and wowen averaged 5’5”. By 3000 B.C., with the introduction to farming, these numbers shrunk to 5’3” and 5′ respectively.

Shrinking heights were the least of their problems, studies of their teeth and bones also revealed other huge problems. Cavities, bone mineral deficiencies, osteoporosis to name a few. New staples of carbs and grains provided calories, but not the minerals that lean proteins and fruit and vegetables provided. Then when you add in the invention of Cheeses and butters… more virtually mineral-less and useless empty calories… you have lower quality of life and diseases.

Add in the Agricultural Revolution and suddenly, the modern world’s main staple of calories are “empty” and hence all the health problems we have. Sure these calories helped the population explosion on earth… but they do not help us.

Ever wonder why Veterinarians don’t let you feed your pets “people food???” Well… that’s because it will give them diseases, allergies and make them sick. Hmmm… maybe that grilled cheese isn’t as appetizing . . . → Read More: Carbohydrates and Health problems…]]> Carbs and grains cause health problems. Simple as that. This is the internet and I am aloud to say it. I am not a doctor, but consider this. In virtually every book I have read where the author has done considerable research in the field, the same conclusion is always clear. Refined and processed carbohydrates and grains cause health problems. Read “Good Calories, Bad Calories,” by Gary Taubes, or “the Paleo Diet,” by Loren Cordain (Ph.D.) and you will learn why.

Simply put, look at the ancient civilizations that were once big meat eaters and little carb eaters. Then look at what happens to them once they add carbs and farming into their diet. The early farmers were typically shorter than their ancestors. Look at Greece and Turkey for example. Preagricultural men were 5’9” and wowen averaged 5’5”. By 3000 B.C., with the introduction to farming, these numbers shrunk to 5’3” and 5′ respectively.

Shrinking heights were the least of their problems, studies of their teeth and bones also revealed other huge problems. Cavities, bone mineral deficiencies, osteoporosis to name a few. New staples of carbs and grains provided calories, but not the minerals that lean proteins and fruit and vegetables provided. Then when you add in the invention of Cheeses and butters… more virtually mineral-less and useless empty calories… you have lower quality of life and diseases.

Add in the Agricultural Revolution and suddenly, the modern world’s main staple of calories are “empty” and hence all the health problems we have. Sure these calories helped the population explosion on earth… but they do not help us.

Ever wonder why Veterinarians don’t let you feed your pets “people food???” Well… that’s because it will give them diseases, allergies and make them sick. Hmmm… maybe that grilled cheese isn’t as appetizing as before?

Cameron.

Lean protein increases your metabolism…

Truth is, lean protein has 2x the thermic effect than that of fat or carbohydrates… meaning that lean proteins cause us to burn more calories than if we ate the same amount of fat or carbohydrates. This means that it revs up our metabolism… lean meat takes more time and effort to “burn” by your body, burning more calories in the process. Protein also has the highest satiating value than fats or carbs… meaning they make you feel more full for longer!

So eating lean meats makes your metabolism sore, burns more calories, and make you feel fuller longer… so think about that before your next burger… perhaps a salmon steak or a piece of pan seared tuna is a . . . → Read More: Why lean protein diets help you lose weight…]]> Little did we know that meat actually helps us lose weight! Forget that low calorie hype! But, I am talking about lean proteins here, not those fatty pork chops or meatballs. Lean meat such as seafood or wild game is typically around 75 – 80% protein and 25 – 20% fat. Fatty meats, such as bacon or pork chops can be up to 70 – 75% fat… mostly saturated fat, which is definitely not good for our health.

Lean protein increases your metabolism…

Truth is, lean protein has 2x the thermic effect than that of fat or carbohydrates… meaning that lean proteins cause us to burn more calories than if we ate the same amount of fat or carbohydrates. This means that it revs up our metabolism… lean meat takes more time and effort to “burn” by your body, burning more calories in the process. Protein also has the highest satiating value than fats or carbs… meaning they make you feel more full for longer!

So eating lean meats makes your metabolism sore, burns more calories, and make you feel fuller longer… so think about that before your next burger… perhaps a salmon steak or a piece of pan seared tuna is a better idea….

Cameron.

So, you could start a low carb diet and eat anything you want (as long as there are no carbs in it); but is a diet of bacon really healthy for you? Could it be? The answer is definitely NO. Truth is, low carb diets can be very detrimental or very beneficial to your health, depending on what you eat and what type of fat is present in what you are eating.

We have saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, Trans fats, Omega fats, Rascal Flats… sound confusing? Well lets clear them up for you (without getting too sciency).

Saturated Fat: Mostly bad for you. Found in meats and whole dairy products; have been known to raise cholesterol. Has been associated with Cardiovascular disease and various cancer’s as well… they will also make you fat!

Monounsaturated Fat: Found in Olive Oil, avocados, and nuts. They are known to lower blood cholesterol and help prevent artery clogging or atherosclerosis.

Polyunsaturated Fat: Some are more beneficial than others. Omega 3 (found in fish oils for example) are healthy, which improve blood chemistry and reduce risks of diseases. Omega 6 (found in vegetable oils for example) are not good when you eat too much of them in comparison to Omega 3 fats.

Trans Fat: Trans fats are added into foods to give them a longer shelf life. These additives, as shown by research, literally and directly increase your risk of heart disease. Common sources are baked and fried foods. Also, they sometimes occur naturally . . . → Read More: Good Fat, Bad Fat?]]> The world is full of low fat diets, low calorie diets, low carb – high fat diets. The truth is, not all fats are created equal! Did you know that (certain) fats, are actually necessary for good health and are good for you to eat? Also, any proper diet actually has at least a third or more of its calories dedicated to fat.

So, you could start a low carb diet and eat anything you want (as long as there are no carbs in it); but is a diet of bacon really healthy for you? Could it be? The answer is definitely NO. Truth is, low carb diets can be very detrimental or very beneficial to your health, depending on what you eat and what type of fat is present in what you are eating.

We have saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, Trans fats, Omega fats, Rascal Flats… sound confusing? Well lets clear them up for you (without getting too sciency).

Saturated Fat: Mostly bad for you. Found in meats and whole dairy products; have been known to raise cholesterol. Has been associated with Cardiovascular disease and various cancer’s as well… they will also make you fat!

Monounsaturated Fat: Found in Olive Oil, avocados, and nuts. They are known to lower blood cholesterol and help prevent artery clogging or atherosclerosis.

Polyunsaturated Fat: Some are more beneficial than others. Omega 3 (found in fish oils for example) are healthy, which improve blood chemistry and reduce risks of diseases. Omega 6 (found in vegetable oils for example) are not good when you eat too much of them in comparison to Omega 3 fats.

Trans Fat: Trans fats are added into foods to give them a longer shelf life. These additives, as shown by research, literally and directly increase your risk of heart disease. Common sources are baked and fried foods. Also, they sometimes occur naturally in some meats and dairy products and oils. They are also created in a process called partial hydration, where liquid oils are turned into a semi-solid state, margarine for example.

Basically, Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated fats are the way to go, avoid Saturated and Trans fats, because they are typically NOT good for you or your body and can cause high cholesterol and heart disease!

Cameron.

In our human origins we were hunters and gatherers. We ate what the earth provided to us; what was available to us. The Agricultural Revolution occurred and with it came the adoption of grains and cereals as our main staple of food. This allowed us to leave our hunter and gatherer lifestyle and caused our population to sky rocket and develop into the the industrial society in which we live today.

The problem is that we are genetically programed to eat what the hunters and gatherers ate. The many health problems and diseases of modern day are a direct result of what we now eat… and don’t eat. The caveman or paleolithic diet is the only diet that ideally fits our genetic makeup. For millions of years humans ate this way, not the way we do now.

Most people do not realize how healthy our Paleolithic ancestors were. They were lean, fit, and free of diseases like heart disease. Some would argue that they had a lower life expectancy than that of today. This may be true, but look at why. Today we have antibiotics, doctors, hospitals and ways of protecting ourselves. Back in the time of our ancestors there were predators to worry about, simple aliments such as a broken limb or simple cold could easily result in death.

But how do we compare to our ancestors?

Well its simple. DNA evidence shows that the genetic makeup of humans have hardly changed in the last 40,000 years (the human genome has changed less than 0.02%).  This means that the genes of the paleolithic people are virtually identical to our own. We need to give our bodies the foods we were originally designed to eat.  Nature determined what we ate, long before we began farming wheat and animals.

I’ve read a . . . → Read More: The Paleolithic Diet]]> So what is the Paleolithic Diet?

In our human origins we were hunters and gatherers. We ate what the earth provided to us; what was available to us. The Agricultural Revolution occurred and with it came the adoption of grains and cereals as our main staple of food. This allowed us to leave our hunter and gatherer lifestyle and caused our population to sky rocket and develop into the the industrial society in which we live today.

The problem is that we are genetically programed to eat what the hunters and gatherers ate. The many health problems and diseases of modern day are a direct result of what we now eat… and don’t eat. The caveman or paleolithic diet is the only diet that ideally fits our genetic makeup. For millions of years humans ate this way, not the way we do now.

Most people do not realize how healthy our Paleolithic ancestors were. They were lean, fit, and free of diseases like heart disease. Some would argue that they had a lower life expectancy than that of today. This may be true, but look at why. Today we have antibiotics, doctors, hospitals and ways of protecting ourselves. Back in the time of our ancestors there were predators to worry about, simple aliments such as a broken limb or simple cold could easily result in death.

But how do we compare to our ancestors?

Well its simple. DNA evidence shows that the genetic makeup of humans have hardly changed in the last 40,000 years (the human genome has changed less than 0.02%).  This means that the genes of the paleolithic people are virtually identical to our own. We need to give our bodies the foods we were originally designed to eat.  Nature determined what we ate, long before we began farming wheat and animals.

I’ve read a book called “the Paleo Diet” by Loren Cordain, Ph.D. (sourced below), which gives the perfect analogy. That is, picture your body as a car that runs on gasoline. When you put diesel fuel in the tank the results are disastrous for the engine. We are designed to run best on the wild plant and animal foods that all humans gathered and hunted just a few generations ago. The staples of today – cereals, dairy products, refined sugars, fatty meats, and salted, processed foods – are like diesel fuel to our body’s metabolic machinery. These foods clog our engine, make us fat, and cause disease and ill health. Much of the Paleo diet is also exemplified in this site’s “The-healthy-diet”.

–   Cavemen didn’t eat any dairy… you couldn’t milk wild animals.

–   Cavemen hardly ever ate any form of grains… maybe if they were desperate, but not as a staple.

–   Cavemen did not salt their food.

–   Cavemen definitely didn’t eat any refined sugar.

–   Cavemen ate Wild, lean animal foods… much higher protein intake than today.

–   Cavemen’s carbohydrates were virtually all from nonstarchy, wild fruits and vegetables. Their carbohydrate intake was much lower than today, and fiber much higher than today.

–   Cavemen’s fat consisted of healthful mono-unsaturated, polysaturated, and omega 3 fats.

The rules of the Paleolithic Caveman diet

1. Eat all the lean meats, and seafood you want.
2. Eat all the fruits and nonstarchy vegetables you want.
3. Eat NO cereals
4. Eat NO legumes (ie. alfalfa, peas, beans, lentils, lupins, mesquite, carob, soy, and peanuts)
5. Eat NO dairy products
6. Eat NO processed foods

Key aspects on how to eat:

–   Eat a high amount of animal protein compared to that of the typical person.

–   Eat less carbs than most people in modern diets… only good carbs from fruits and nonstarchy vegetables.

–   Eat a large amount of fiber from nonstachy fruits and vegetables.

–   Eat a moderate amount of fat (try to keep it good fat).

–   Eat foods with high potassium content and low salt content.

–   Eat foods rich in plant phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

This is the main crux of the paleolithic or caveman diet. Read other articles on the site for more information, like lists and recipes of foods you can eat while on this diet.

Overall impressions:

Seems like a really amazing diet and it would without a doubt work to get you fit and lean. I would argue that some grains are okay to eat, such as whole grains, because they are fibrous and complex in nature. Obviously the cavemen didn’t have the technology to create whole grain breads, but I believe in moderation, it is alright to intake some whole grains. I do agree that whole grains, or any grain for that matter, shouldn’t be the main staple of one’s diet.

The-Healthy-Diet.com rates the “Paleo Diet” 9 / 10.

Cameron.

Work cited: Loren Cordain, Ph.D., The Paleo Diet. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Hoboken, New Jersey. 2002